One billion dollars worldwide . . . within 19 days!

Just a week after Marvel’s The Avengers had the biggest U.S. box office opening ever, the movie is expected to hit the global $1 billion mark today. This is the first Marvel Studios movie to achieve this and the fifth Disney Studios release to manage this.

The Avengers made $207.4 million on its U.S. opening weekend and its grand States-side total thus far is an estimated $373.2 million. Add to this an extra $628.9 million earned internationally (the movie actually opened in Europe and elsewhere a week before the States – a rare occurrence) and you get to the cool $1 billion mark.

“We’re obviously thrilled with the global success of The Avengers,” said Disney chairman and CEO Robert A. Iger. “It’s a fantastic movie and an extraordinary franchise that will continue with more great stories and compelling characters for years to come.”

He’s got that right: on May 8, Disney announced that an Avengers sequel is in development. Last month it was announced that a sequel to 2011′s Captain America: The First Avenger will be released on April 4, 2014. Thor 2 is scheduled for November 15, 2013 and Iron Man 3 for May 3, 2013.